Bethesda’s director Todd Howard told content creator Any Austin that The Elder Scrolls 6 will have “most definitely” more trees than Skyrim when asked whether the sequel will feature more or fewer trees than its predecessor.
The exchange comes during a video where Any Austin counted how many trees are in Skyrim, he landed on 46,430 after a mix of walking the world and checking game files, and then asked Howard to guess. Howard joked with a big-number guess tied to Skyrim’s 2011 release, then emphasized that the next game will have more trees.
That one line doesn’t pin down a region, but it does rule out certain obvious possibilities. If the sequel really is heavier on forests, it makes coastal, jungle, or temperate regions of Tamriel easier fits than desert provinces. One natural candidate is Valenwood, which the UESP describes as a “densely forested, sub-tropical region” with giant migratory trees and cities among the branches. UESP’s Valenwood lore page lays out those details.
Howard’s comment is a small piece of a much larger puzzle. Bethesda has previously said most of the studio is focused on The Elder Scrolls 6, and Howard has repeatedly warned players the game is still far from release. For context, we covered his earlier remarks about the project’s timeline.
Whether Howard’s tree line is a straightforward size quip or a hint about a forested setting, fans are already matching lore and geography to the line. It’s worth keeping expectations measured: Howard’s tone in the clip reads like a teasing detail more than a location reveal.
Watch the clip where the exchange happens here:
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The Elder Scrolls VI
Developed by Bethesda Game Studios
